HC Deb 07 March 2000 vol 345 cc638-40W
Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel were involved in staff safety monitoring at(a) Rosyth and (b) Faslane in each of the last five years. [112845]

Dr. Moonie

At HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane), the Health Physics Group is complemented with 16 staff who have direct responsibility for undertaking safety monitoring. Health Physics Group resources are supplemented by trained monitoring staff on-board submarines. Numbers have remained fairly constant over the last five years.

All nuclear safety matters relating to Rosyth Royal Dockyard are a matter for Babcock Rosyth Defence Ltd., the owners of the Dockyard. It is a condition of their contract with the MOD that they must comply with all nuclear safety regulations.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what radioactive monitoring processes exist at(a) Rosyth and (b) Faslane for staff at work and for checking staff on completion of their duties; what equipment is used to carry out these checks; if he will list the safety equipment which is more than (i) one year old, (ii) three years old, (iii) five years old and (iv) 10 years old; which organisation is responsible for safety checks for staff and for monitoring equipment used; and what role he has in reviewing and overseeing staff safety at the sites. [112848]

Dr. Moonie

All nuclear safety matters relating to Rosyth Royal Dockyard are a matter for Babcock Rosyth Defence Limited, the owners of the Dockyard. It is a condition of their contract with the MOD that they must comply with all nuclear safety regulations.

All personnel working in designated areas onboard submarines, in the Active Processing Facility and the Nuclear Repair Workshop at HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane) are monitored for radioactive contamination on completion of their work with Electra ratemeters and BP7 probes. Additionally, those working in the Active Processing Facility and the Nuclear Repair Workshop are monitored using the IPM-7 type radiation detector.

The Electra ratemeters and BP7 probes are more than one-year-old. The IPM-7 type radiation detectors are more than five-years-old. No radiation monitoring equipment is more than 10-years-old.

The monitoring of personnel and the calibration of instruments are carried out by Health Physics staff from Faslane's Department of Engineering. The Director of Safety and Quality audits these safety procedures. The Chairman of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Programme also audits nuclear safety under his programme of site authorisation, which minors nuclear licensing carried out by the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII). The NII also reviews nuclear-related health and safety under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the safety of Mk 10 radiation monitors with BP 3 Geiger Muller glass probes; if he will list the areas where their use is authorised; and if he will state his policy on the replacement of Mk 10 with BP 3 probes, by a more modern replacement system. [112846]

Dr. Moonie

The Mk 10 Radiation Monitor and BP10 probe are approved instruments for use by the Royal Navy. The BP10 probe is a military version of the commercially available BP3 probe. I am not aware of any written safety assessment for the Mk 10 Radiation Monitor used with the BP10 probe but their use is subject to full calibration procedures in accordance with statutory requirements.

While the Mk 10 Radiation Monitor and BP10 probe are still approved instruments for use on-board HM submarines, they are not routinely used for contamination monitoring of personnel in HM Naval Bases. The preferred instrument for personal contamination monitoring in Naval Bases Clyde and Devonport is the Electra ratemeter and BP7 probe.

A specialist section within MOD is actively seeking a suitable replacement for the Mk 10 Radiation Monitor and BP10 probe for use on-board HM submarines.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many IPM-7 radiation detectors are in use in(a) Rosyth and (b) Faslane; what is his policy on the use of IPM-7 radiation detectors for safety checks on staff at Rosyth and Faslane; and if he will make a statement on differences in the safety procedures for monitoring staff between Rosyth and Faslane. [112847]

Dr. Moonie

At Faslane the 2 IPM-7 type radiation detectors are used for secondary monitoring for personnel working in the Active Processing Facility and the Nuclear Repair Workshop. For work in reactor compartments on submarines the routine is for personnel to be monitored with the Electra ratemeter and BP7 probe. Should any contamination be found by the Electra ratemeter, personnel are then re-checked with the IPM-7 radiation detectors.

All nuclear safety matters relating to Rosyth Royal Dockyard are a matter for Babcock Rosyth Defence Limited, the owners of the Dockyard. It is a condition of their contract with the MOD that they must comply with all nuclear safety regulations.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to introduce secondary monitoring of staff at Faslane; what secondary monitoring procedures are in place at(a) Rosyth and (b) Devonport; and if he will make a statement. [112843]

Mr. Spellar

At HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane) staff working in the Active Processing Facility and the Nuclear Repair Workshop are already protected through routine secondary monitoring.

All nuclear safety matters relating to the Royal Dockyards at Rosyth and Devonport are a responsibility of the owners of the Dockyards: Babcock Rosyth Defence Limited and Devonport Management Limited respectively. It is a condition of their contracts with the MOD that they must comply with all nuclear safety regulations.